3 Challenges and 5 Keys to Launching an On-Site Clinic

So, you’re about to launch an on-site clinic? We know you have a lot on your shoulders: construction schedules, logistics, promotion, and much more. It’s going to be a busy few months, but don’t worry. We’ll be by your side every step of the way.

We’ve launched quite a few on-site clinics. We know the challenges you’ll face, what to do to overcome them, and how to avoid issues in the first place. In this post, we’ve shared the most important items for you to consider.

3 Challenges To Overcome

There are three main challenges that almost everyone faces when launching their clinic. Remember, you’re not alone. We’re here to help. Our experience is that some smart work ahead of time will help you overcome them altogether.

Decision-making team: A lot of decisions will have to be made in the coming months. Determine who will make the decisions up front. Keeping this group small enough to be nimble will help you move forward effectively and efficiently.

Low clinic utilization: A meaningful incentive, most often cash, will bring your employees into the clinic. Because clinic cost-effectiveness and reductions in your total healthcare costs are directly tied to utilization, this outcome more than justifies the cost.

Data sharing: Population health management depends on insurance claims data to determine how to structure care. We’ll help you avoid delays and missteps by providing you with clear documentation and a template so that you can send us accurate and usable data.

5 Keys To A Successful Launch

1) Embrace A Discovery-Oriented Process

Our clinic launch process begins with a session that focuses on answering a set of discovery questions.

We focus on getting the big questions answered first, or at least out in the open. We also keep asking questions throughout the process.

This session allows us to understand the specific needs of the client. It also uncovers challenges we'll face during the launch process. Armed with this knowledge, we adjust the process to make it work for the client rather than trying to fit our client into a predefined box. This sets the stage for a smooth launch process.

2) Focus On Information Dissemination & Overcommunicate

In a complex process like a clinic launch, it's rare that everyone has all the context they need. Our Customer Success team creates a quick reference sheet with every pertinent detail about the new clinic, removing any ambiguity that may exist.

The Customer Success team shares the one-sheet with the entire Vera team and the client team at the beginning of the project. This shared documentation makes sure everyone is working from the same foundation. Then, as the situation evolves throughout the project, we keep the document updated in a central location for reference.

The main key here: never assume anyone is thinking about something the same way. Get things on the table and make sure everyone understands the facts in the same way.

3) Design Smart Documentation

Documentation helps us get through the project with a shared understanding and clear plans. In addition to the above, some additional documentation pieces that we've found most helpful:

Questions list: We capture every question that comes up in a running list to ensure nothing goes unanswered.

Required data formats: Everyone has specific requirements for the types of data they need. We've found that clearly spelling out data formats for population health management data saves a ton of work for our analysts and HR managers.

4) Start Talking About Incentive Early

It can take months for some clients to figure out the right incentive. That's right, months. We recommend starting to think about the appropriate incentive from the moment that you decide to launch a clinic. Our Customer Success team can provide recommendations about what has worked best for others.

Regardless, some may question the value of an incentive. Others may think it isn't worth the effort. We know from experience that the value is high and the effort is worth it. It will be one of the keys to filling your clinic from day one. In our Anchorage clinic wellness appointments were fully booked from the moment their clinic launched, in large part because of an effective incentive and a strong communication plan to employees.

5) Regular Meetings Matter

Email increases efficiency, but it's no substitute for face-to-face discussion. We hold bimonthly meetings with team members from Vera and your team. Creating this space to talk through questions and tackle key issues will make the whole process go more smoothly, especially if you make sure your decision-making team is in the room.

As you dive into the clinic launch process, remember, we’ll be there to support you each step of the way. Let's do this.